Getting Lost in the Things I Love

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about hobbies. Not productivity. Not work. Not things I should be doing.

Just things I genuinely enjoy doing for no other reason than I enjoy them.

I’ve realized that so much of what keeps me on the right path, aside from having structure through work, is having something to look forward to outside of it. Something that makes me want to put my phone down, get my hands busy, and completely lose track of time.

And I really want to get lost in my hobbies again.

I used to have so many things that I loved doing just because. Somewhere along the way, though, life got busy, and then it got messy, and then I got really good at filling my time with everything except the things that actually made me feel like myself.

The last few weeks have been hard in their own way, but I’ve also had some really good weeks recently. And I think one of the biggest things I’m learning is that staying on track doesn’t always mean doing something profound.

Sometimes it means baking. Which brings me to today.

I’ve been thinking about fall a lot lately, and there is something about the idea of spending an entire season baking my heart out that makes me so happy.

Warm kitchens. Cinnamon. Fresh bread. Trying recipes I’ve never made before. Making something from scratch and then actually sitting down and enjoying it.

I want more of that.

So I’ve decided that I’m going to start with baking. Today, I made pizza.

Tomorrow, I’m making cinnamon buns. And honestly, I’m excited about it.

Maybe that sounds so simple, but I think that’s exactly what I need right now.

I don’t want every weekend to be about going somewhere, drinking, staying out late, or finding the next exciting thing to do. I want to remember that there is so much excitement in a quiet Saturday spent in the kitchen, too.

There is something really grounding about making something with your hands.

You have to slow down.

You have to follow the steps.

You have to wait.

You can’t rush dough into rising or make something bake faster just because you’re impatient.

And maybe that’s part of what I love about it.

I’ve spent a lot of time lately trying to learn how to be present in my own life again. To actually experience things instead of constantly looking for the next thing.

And hobbies feel like a really beautiful part of that.

They’re not something I have to be good at.

They’re not something I need to monetize.

They’re not another thing to accomplish.

They’re just mine.

I think I’ve forgotten how important that is.

So, I’m making a little promise to myself that I’m going to start making room for the things I used to love, and maybe discover some new ones along the way.

Baking is first.

Maybe it’ll be terrible sometimes. Maybe I’ll burn something. Maybe I’ll make a recipe three times before I get it right.

But I’ll be there.

In my kitchen.

Trying.

Learning.

Making something.

And hopefully, somewhere along the way, getting a little lost in something I love again.